Max is now added in the story. From now on I'm going to have the Author's note after the chapter but I thought that I would alert you all and let you know that most the POV's will be smaller, continue from the other POV and be mainly from James and Lilys' POV.
Enjoy, SpringBabe.

Chapter 7: Back

(Max's POV)

Whispers echoed throughout the Great Hall when we came down for breakfast. There was only two and I could hear conversations starting with "Did you see Max is back." Ella, Monique and Hamish weren't with us last night so they didn't see that I had returned, as much as I wanted to tell them I didn't want to walk through the Gryffindor Common room before the whole school had seen me. James offered me his cloak but Lily asked us if we wanted to sleepover in their common room and of course none of us objected.

I got hugged by Monique and Ella, congratulated Ella on her prefect badge, crushed by Hamish who wouldn't let go and glared at by Mellissa. I could catch a few words of conversations and I didn't like them. I heard "thought she was dead," and "didn't she try to kill the Death Eater that killed Nick but ended up killing all those muggles.

There was people talking cheerfully about how I was back and that Lily was back in classes, I could see the teachers smile at both me and Lily, especially McGonagall who never smiled at me. We sat down I was surprised to see Mellissa move away but before she did it looked like she was fighting the urge to slap me.

"Why isn't Mellissa hanging around with us?" I asked.

No one answered but became fascinated with their food.

It was James who finally spoke. "She brought back the list, but this time it was a poll to see how many people thought you were dead." I stared at him waiting him to continue. "She went out with Sirius last year."

Sirius hung his head in shame. "I never found anyone like you and when I broke up with Mellissa I told her that she wasn't you and she got offended."

"Anyway, there weren't a lot of people that thought you were alive. We all did, well all of us except for Peter who was dating Mellissa at the time. Then Mellissa was cheating on Peter with Kevin Lader who was dating Alice at the time."

Sirius continued with the story since the worst was over. "Mellissa was bragging about it at breakfast one morning before Kerry and Alice got down. Alice came down when we guys were duelling with Lader."

"Alice was amazing, shouted at Mellissa, called her names and slapped her in the face. Then she came over to Lader, shouted at him and I think she slapped him as well. Anyway McGonagall pulled Alice outside then the rest of us to ask what was going on. After she sent Mellissa and Lader away she gave us all permission to prank Mellissa." James finished.

"I wish I had been here for that." I replied in awe looking over at Alice who was listening to us and smiled sheepishly. "So what was the prank?"

"We'd been planning it ever since Mellissa started the poll because she was using it to try and get back with Sirius. We gave Mellissa bright orange hair and wings, since Perri told her that it was the colour she hated and that Mellissa wanted to be just like you. She had big pussy yellow spots and on the back of her robe it said 'I'm someone who doesn't commit to a serious relationship.' We did the same thing for Lader as well and it just faded away.

I looked back over at Mellissa and I could see that her hair still looked orange but when I first saw her I thought it was just the lighting.

Once Breakfast was over McGonagall came to talk to me about me classes. Since I was away for my 5th and 6th year she told me that I wouldn't be able to start in the middle of the 7th year and that I would have to take the same classes I did or leave. I didn't want to leave but I didn't want to stay in school for two more years after my friends left but I was going to stay for the rest of this year.

I went to DADA with Ella and Monique while the others went up to the Head Dorm common Room.

(James' POV)

I was going to ask her out today but Remus stopped me. Told me that it wasn't a good idea since her parents died just over a week ago and since she came out of her room. Secretly I knew that it wasn't the right time but I wasn't going to tell anyone that and I was going crazy with the fact that I hadn't asked her out yet and that this time would be different. All that I knew was that I was going to ask her out before the New Year's Party at my house where everyone was invited to. I knew that Sirius, Remus and Peter would be coming since they had come every year. Ella's mum got an owl from my parents saying the whole family would come, Alice and Kerry were planning to stay the whole holidays, Perri and Frank were coming for the party and I just needed to ask Lily.

I was surprised when Peter told me he wasn't staying for the holidays and just coming for the Party since his mother wanted him home for Christmas. I wanted to ask Lily but I couldn't because she was in Arithmacy I was planning to ask her in Charms because I knew that Flitwick was chilled with note passing as long as he didn't see them or hear disruption in the classroom.

(Lily's POV)

A note landed on my book as I was writing down the notes for the charm we were learning. I looked around to see who sent it but everyone was writing in their books except for Snape who was staring at me. I was going to set the note on fire if it said will you go out with me but I was waiting for James to ask. I don't know if I would say no to him since he had been so sweet to me, carrying my books to class, offering help in Transfiguration, talking to me, getting to know me I decided that I would give him the chance the next time he asked me out. I cautiously read it hoping that it wasn't something that would embarrass me. I only just realised that I was embarrassing James every time I said no to him in front of everyone and realised that I tried to make it as embarrassing as possible but he still persisted which showed he really had feelings for me. I was starting to fall for him but I wasn't going to admit it to anyone just yet I was going to wait for the right moment and I wanted him to ask me out not the other way around.

'Dear Lily,
We're having a New Year's Party at my house (well we do every year) and I was wondering if you wanted to come.
James.'

It was written messily like all boys wrote but I could make out what it said. I quickly wrote my reply which was yes and I was glad since I didn't want to spend my whole holidays alone at school. I was sure McGonagall would let me leave for just the party.

'Cool so do you want to stay the whole holidays cause we have plenty of room for you'

I was a little unsure at what the invitation to stay at his house meant. I was fine with us being friends, fine with how we were talking and I was unsure if he was asking me out. He hadn't asked me out all year and he hadn't asked any other girl that showed interest in him out either and I was beginning to like him but I wasn't going to admit it to anyone. I didn't know what I would say and I couldn't trust myself to say yes because I was unsure if I wanted to go out with him or not. I pushed the letter aside and tried to concentrate on what Flitwick was saying but I couldn't since a war was going on inside my head.

(James' POV)

I took no answer for rejection; once again Lily Evans the bane of my existence had rejected any offer from me. 'But she did say yes to the party.' A voice inside my head said 'and it's not liked you asked her out you just asked her to stay for the holidays.' Asking her to stay for the holidays was like asking her out since I hadn't done it yet. It was two days ago that I asked her and now she hasn't talked to me, she was silent on our rounds, talking to the girls and leaving when they talked with us. It was back to the old Lily, not including herself with me or the other guys. I was grateful she didn't shout out no for the whole school to hear but I wanted the proper answer and was angry that she wasn't going to tell me and completely ignore me. I was angry at myself for asking her since I knew that she didn't like me and she would take this like me asking her out. I had ruined the good friendship we had because I pushed our friendship too far and tried to get her to go out with me too soon.

Remus asked me why I get zoning out and Sirius told me to cheer up but I knew that I wouldn't cheer up until Lily gave me her answer. I always got over it when she yelled no to my requests to go out with her but the silent response was tearing me up inside. I wasn't getting into pranks like I used to and I half heartedly went with the others on the full moon because I didn't want to let Moony down.

(Lily's POV)

"So why aren't you talking to him?" Max asked.

Max was the only one that I could trust with this stuff and even if she was closer to the guys than the other girls I knew that she wouldn't tell James or Sirius what I told her. So she was the only one in my room talking to me about the boys.

"I don't trust myself, I keep thinking of reasons why I shouldn't stay and reasons that I should that I can't tell which answer to give James and I'm scared that if I want to say no I'll say yes." I replied.

"This isn't something that your suppose to think about you have to do what feels right, what your heart says and besides James isn't asking you out just asking you to stay so you won't be by yourself at Christmas time."

"But what if he constantly asks me out all holidays while I'm there?"

"He won't and if you tell him not to ask you out for the rest of the holidays then he won't."

"But what if I want him to ask me out?" I asked. It was a big step for me I was finally going to admit to Max that I was starting to like James.

Max was speechless. "Are you finally starting to like him?"

"A bit, you can't tell anyone though. I'm worried that if we start dating we will ruin in our friendship."

"Lily you have to stop worrying and go with the flow. The next time James asks you out you have to say yes otherwise you will start to wonder what will happen if you never go out with him. You also need to tell him you're staying for the holidays because if you haven't noticed he isn't cheerful and he's starting to lose confidence in himself."

"It will be good for him though, he had too much confidence that he was going to get me to go out with him."

"But he's changed all year and he's lost to much confidence. Imagine what will happen if you don't talk to him by the next Quiditch match, he won't be pumped or focused. So please talk to him." Max reasoned.

"I hate it when you're right. I'm supposed to be the smarter one."

Max laughed and peered out my door looking down into my common room. "He's down there alone go tell him that you'll stay."

I walked down, got to the top of the stairs and saw how James was lying on the couch on his back just staring at the ceiling. Come on Lily be brave your suppose to be in Gryffindor. I looked at him again and my eyes met his deep hazel ones. I felt the sadness and anger in them, not anger for me but for himself. I couldn't say yes right now not now while he was lying there angry with himself. I could see what Max meant by how he was losing too much confidence I could see that James thought that I was never going to like him. I ran straight into my room being the cowardly Gryffindor I was. Max was looking at me and she knew that I didn't tell him because she left but told me to tell him tonight when we were doing the rounds.

(James' POV)

It was another quiet night; I could only hear my feet. I had given up any attempt to start a conversation because Lily would never respond but all the silence was doing my head in. Lily was muttering something but it was to quiet for me to hear what she was saying so I didn't bother asking.

"Just do it." Lily said out loud.

"Huh?" I asked.

Lily stared at me and I could see that she was going to tell me something. Brace yourself I told myself preparing for the rejection.

"Yes."

"Yes what?" I asked confused I hadn't said anything all night.

"Yes I will stay over yours for the holidays if you have enough room." She replied.

I couldn't stop the grin spreading across my face; I only just stopped myself from picking her up to hug her.

"That means that Sirius and I are going to have to tidy up the house a bit and keep our stuff neat with three other girls in the house."

"Three girls."

"Yeah, you, Kerry and Alice are staying all holidays then the Martinez's, Perri and Remus are coming over for New Year's Eve. I thought I told you that they were staying."

"You git, I would have said yes sooner if I knew that Kerry and Alice were staying as well. I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay with both you and Sirius, then I wasn't sure if you were trying to ask me out and was trying to find the best way to tell you." Lily replied in the tone that said she was angry but not angry.

"Well if you've noticed I've stopped asking you out since I can only face rejection so many times and I'm not going to ruin our friendship by asking you out when you don't even like me or want me to."

Lily stayed silent and smiled then continued with our rounds but we both talked.

(Lily's POV)

"Why didn't you tell him that you like him?" Max asked as I was shoving my books in my bag.

"I don't know I didn't want to build his confidence up too much or too quickly. I'm just hoping he didn't see me blush."

"OMG Lily, James just told us that your staying at his place too for the hols." Alice chirped cheerfully bursting into my room without bothering to knock as Kerry and Perri followed in slowly.

"Well at least you two will be able to tell me if Lily and James do any snogging before I get there." Max told them in a jokingly way.

"Lily are you starting to have feelings for James?" Kerry asked like it was the most preposterous thing that could happen.

"Maybe," I said. "Now let's hurry up and gets some breakfast."

(Max's POV)

Because the other three wanted to know how and when Lily started to fall for James, it took us forever to get down to the Great Hall. I took a seat next to Sirius as the others all took their seats near us. I had already been back a week and was getting used to going to classes again but I wasn't used to being alone without Lily, Sirius and the rest of the gang. Monique and Ella were hanging around us more and it seemed to boost their popularity among the other 5th years since they were hanging around the coolest kids in the school.

"Hey Max have you told mum that your alright and at school?" Ella asked when I was raising a piece of toast to my mouth.

"I thought that you or Dylan did." I replied, my mouth full of toast.

"Dylan didn't and I didn't so I'd write to her or she is going to freak out." Ella told me.

There was one week of term left before we went home for the holidays straight after the Quiditch match against Ravenclaw who bet Hufflepuff. I didn't know if my owl was still here or if it was at home but with only a week to go I decided that I'll surprise mum (and probably give her a heart attack) when she sees me get off the train with everyone else.

"I'm going to surprise her," I gulped, for two reasons, one mum would eat me alive and two I had to swallow my food to talk properly. "What else do I need to catch up on?" I asked Sirius.

"Well I was disowned at the end of the 5th year went straight to James' place and his parents took me straight in. The Potters are like my parents. Regulus was given instructions to spy on me now that Bellatrix and Narcissa have left." Sirius explained.

"Wow I knew that you were the black sheep in your family but I didn't realise it was that bad." I gasped.

Kerry's, Remus' and Peter's family were all in hiding and the same as what they were before I left.

"What's mum and Amelia been up to?" I asked since I wasn't told much and sent straight into studying and catching up that I lost most of my socialising time.

"Well they were the target not the Evan's." Dylan told me keeping his voice down so Lily who was engaged in a conversation with the girls couldn't hear.

I don't know if anything would match the shock look on my face, until then I didn't realise that my family members felt guilty for what happened with the Evan's and I finally figured out why Lily sometimes couldn't met my eye.

"They're now in hiding in Godric's Hollow." Dylan explained.

"Well that explains a lot." I exclaimed trying to process it all in my head.

"Well we better get to Divination, come on Max." Monique called already holding her bag and mine out for me.

We left the others and started the long walk to the North Tower.

This is a bit shorter than the others so I apologise for that. I am also sorry that it took longer to update but since school has started I haven't had much spare time to write. I hope you like it and I hope you don't mind it being a James and Lily story with the exception of Max's POV's but I think Max is one of the main characters and now that she's back she can't be cut off and needs to be included. I will try to include more James and Lily in the next chapter.

Thanks to Ukrainianelfhorse (hope I spelt it write) for your support to this story and reviews.

SpringBabe.